Viscosimeter



Oct. 19, 1937. G E BOCK 2,096,222

' VISCOSIMETER Filed March '15, 1956 muovo-soo soo no loo so 1o $0 5G lywh f1 '/"fORNEYS,

Patented Oct. 19, 1937 UNITED fsTATEs 2,096,222 vlsoosmmrnn George -E. Bock, Seattle, Wash., assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to National Technical Laboratories, Pasadena, Calif., a corporation of California Application March 13, 1936, Serial No. 68,665

Claims.

This invention relates to viscosimeters and particularly to a torsion-type viscosity testing device of the character illustrated and described in U. S. Patent No. 1,746,791 issued to William F.

5 Osborne and dated `the 11th day of February,

The objects of the present invention provide a device adapted through its advancements over the referred-to structure to accelerate accurate determination of the viscosity of fluids, to provide a device which acts to obtain increased sensitivity in the lower range of viscosity reading, and which otherwise is so constituted and devised as to simplify the strucmore eficient than heretofore.

The invention consists in the novel construction, adaptation, and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing:-

Figure 1 is a view, partially in elevation and partially in transverse vertical section, representing the now preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of the rotary cylindrical members in response to the movement of which the liquid is spirally circulated in the spaces which lie between the members and coactive torsionally iniluenced cylindrical members, the outer of said rotary members being broken away to indicate the manner in which the liquidcirculating threads of the inner rotary member' are conversely disposed; and c Fig. 4 represents a chart lineated according to the present invention and in conjunction with which the device obtains increased sensitivity for reading low viscosities.

The viscosimeter, as illustrated, provides a frame represented by the numeral 6 desirably mounted in a portable casing, the frame being of an inverted-L configuration with the horizontal arm 'I thereof apertured for the passage therethrough of a sleeve 8. I form said sleeve with a shoulder adapted to engage the underside of the arm and provide a threaded end acting to receive a lock-nut 9 which, in its exposed face, is counter-bored for the reception of a bearing I0. Flanged at its lower end and similarly counter-bored for the reception of a bearing II, the sleeve assembly receives the spindle extension I2 of a disc member I3, the spindle projecting below the bearing II and being securably engaged by o the hub I4 of a series of concentric radiallyv tural design and provide an apparatus generally spaced shells I5. I represent said shells as being xed to the hub through the medium of radial bars I6.

Received in the space between said shells and providing clearance between adjacent peripheries 5 are a pair of concentric cylindrical members I1 which are fixed, as by vertical pins shown dotted in Fig. 1, to vertically-spaced collars I8 revolubly mounted on the sleeve 8. In the space between the bearing collars is a gear I9 for drivl0 ing the members I1, said gear being in mesh with a motor-driven gear 2li. Helical gears are desirably employed although for simplicity in illustration I indicate the gears as of spur form.

Formed in any desired manner, as by pressing 15 or otherwise, said cylindrical members I1 provide spiral threads and these threads, as respects the outer and inner rotating members, are conversely disposed to obtain opposing directional influence upon the liquid which is present between the peripheries of the members I 1 and adjacent surfaces of the shells I5.

Revel-ting to the spindle-actuated disc I 3, the same is provided with an integral cam-like pulley 2I in the groove of which a cable 22 `is re- 25 ceived with the inner terminus thereof lying in a relative diametrically located slot, the pulley having a general involute design emanating at the approximate axis of the disc. The cable lead-olf passes about an idler wheel 23 to en- 30 gage a frame-carried spring 24. Said involute configuration of the pulley surface acts to eiect a relative recession, progressively withspring eX- tension, of the contact point of the groove lying in the tangent which denes the cable lead-off, aifording a variable lever moment serving to reduce the movement of the disc progressively or relatively so as respects increasing torsion. Conforming to said inverse ratio, a chart as-represented by 25 in Fig. 4'indicates, in terms of disc 40 movement, the torsion effective upon the shells I5. Supporting said chart is a concentric drum 26 iixedly connected to the disc, a pointer for the chart being designated by y21 (Fig. 2).

A container for the liquid to be tested comprises a cup 28 adapted to be. introduced about the intertting members I5 and I1 from the underside of the same, the cup being supported by a plate 29 having a pivotal mounting between bracket arms 30 to allow swinging movement of 50 the plate into and from cup-supporting position. Provided by said plate are electrically energized heating elements 3|.

Any suitable temperature-indicating device may be employed, the means shown comprising by 34 allow air to escape as the members I5l and I1 are submerged in the liquid.

The operation should be apparent from the foregoing, the container -ior the liquid being filled to the required level and introduced in the manner shown, following which the plate 29 is swung into supporting position below the container and current caused to flow through the heating eiements. Motor-driven revoluble travel of the fluted members n circulates the liquid by influencing the same in converse directions longitudinally of the axis of rotation or, otherwise stated, in one longitudinal direction under the iniiuence of the right-hand threads and in the opposite direction under the influence of the left-hand threads, the annular spaces which lie between the members l5 constituting relative pumping chambers. As is believed clear, the liquid is circulated automatically in response to rotary movement of the members I1 to eiect practically instantaneous distribution of the heat whereby to obtain a uniform temperature throughout `the liquid in ailowing an immediate reading accurately indi- 'cating viscosity by recourse to the indicated ther-- mal condition which prevails.

It is intended that the claims be given a breadth in their construction commensurate with the scope of the invention within the art.

What I claim isr- 1. In a uid testing device, the combination of a container for the fluid to be tested, a plurality of revolubly supported annular members disposed in radially-spaced concentric relation and immersed in the iiuid within the container, a plurality of revolubly supported annular members interposed in spaced relation to the peripheries of thefirst-named members in the chambers formed between said rst-named members, said interposed members being provided with conversely directed helical threads, means for rotating said threaded members to eifect, under the influence of the spiral threads, circulatory movement ofthe liquid lying between adjacent peripheries of the members, and means for measuring the viscous pull of the liquid upon the cylindrical members adjacent to said threaded members.

2. In a fluid testing device, the combination of revolubly supported annular members disposed in radially-spaced concentric relation, a container for the fluid to be tested and means supporting said container to immerse the annular members in the fluid, means for rotating one of said annular members, and elastic means yieldably resisting the rotary movement of the other of said membersresulting from the viscous pull of the fluid lying between the members, said rotated member being formed with helical threads for eilecting circulatory movement oi the uid to distribute the heat'of the same uniformly throughout the iiuld.`

3. The structure as defined in claim 2, said immersion of the members in the fluid being alforded by introducing the container from the underside of the members, the support for said Acontainer comprising a heating plate pivotaliy viniluencing the pulley-connectedl member oppositionally of the elastic resistance according to the viscosity which obtains in the liquid lying between the members, and means including a chart movable relatively in Aaccord with the movement of the pulley-connected member vfor visibly indicating the viscosity of the liquid, said pulley being formed to'an approximate lnvolute coniiguration to obtain a reduction in the movement of the chart progressively with increasing torsion upon the pulley-connected member.

5. The combination in a testing device comprising a torsionally iniiuenced member, of a pulley influenced by said member, a cable connected at one end with the pulley and at its other end with elastic means yieldably resisting rotary movement of the puile and visible indicating means influenced relatively with the movement of the pulley for indicating the torsioninfluenced movement of the member, the cablecontacting surface of said pulley being formed to an approximate lnvolute curve to effect variable movement of the indicating means to increase the sensitivity thereof through a selected range of movement of the indicating means.

GEORGE E. BOCK. 

